Wednesday, March 16, 2005

David Bowie's Stage

Released as a double LP in 1978, Stage chronicled the Thin White Duke's world tour of that year. It showcases his arty Berlin years (Low, Station To Station) as well as a few of the classic hits (Ziggy Stardust). The band is great, and includes both Adrian Belew and Carlos Alomar on guitars, so you know it's rocking - this band went right into the studio after this tour to record Lodger, one of my personal fave Bowie records. This week saw it finally get the remastered reissue treatment in the US (I don't think it's ever been on CD), and it's fantastic. I've always loved how this group of musicians were able to pull off the arty, icy synth stuff as well as some of the more traditionally rocking tunes, and it's so nice to hear it "beefed up" a little. Stay sounds particularly good to me - the funky bass and drums, the big riffing guitars, Bowie's croon - it's all super tight. Another much welcomed reissue that if you're a Bowie fan you need to check out.

I've always loved that album and never understood why some critics slated it. His voice sounds fantastic and the longer version of 'Breaking Glass' is wonderful.

Wasn't the album recorded at Earl's Court? I almost got into that show, I lived near Earl's Court back then and me and my mates tried to bunk in (as we did with The Motor Show every year) but the security was too tight. The audience looked fantastic though, that was the 1977 Summer of Punk and I've never seen such an array of fabulously dressed peacocks and street urchins in my life.